Research

»Design research is systematic inquiry whose goal is knowledge of, or in, the embodiment of configuration, composition, structure, purpose, value, and meaning in man-made things and systems.«
(Bruce Archer, “Systematic Methods for Designers”, 1981)

Topics

  • Phenomenology and methodology of Design
    Goal: To improve the ability of Designers to recognize and describe relevant phenomena for design work (empirical tools, terminology).
  • Discourse on/with the Internet
    Goal: To research and evaluate computer-based tools to enrich and enhance discoursive conversations for decision making and learning.
  • Design of emergent systems
    Goal: To understand the dynamics of emergent systems and learn about strategies to leverage the potential of “planned emergence” in design processes.
  • Design in business processes
    Goal: To identify the role and potential of Design and Design processes for business development, managerial planning and organisational change.
  • Digital tools to improve education
    Goal: To isolate, review and test success criteria and applications for “personal publishing” tools in education.
  • Creative utilization of scripting languages
    Goal: To open ways for designers to design with algorithms.

Memberships

  • International Institute of Information Design (IIID)
    International Institute of Information Design (http://iiid.net/) since 1996
  • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Designtheorie und -forschung (DGTF)
    Founding member of “The German Association of Design Theory and Research” (http://www.dgtf.de/) that was inaugurated in November 2002
  • Member of the Editorial Board for the Information Design Journal (IDJ)
    Since October 2008
IIID_Member